Together, we are Sustainable Stanford

Own Your Role

Power Smart Practices

Culture Change, Efficiency, Maintenance

On hot days, review campus conservation best practices to help outsmart hitting peak power.

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Cut Costs with Sustainable Purchasing

Purchasing, Zero Waste

Stanford’s new purchasing guidance helps departments save money while reducing waste through practical everyday actions.

Tree with a pink sunset in the background

Leave Your Legacy by Supporting Stanford’s Conservation Program

Conservation & Biodiversity

Support campus conservation initiatives with your next service milestone award.

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100% renewable electricity for the past 3 years

82% reduction in Scope 1 & 2 greenhouse gas emissions

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Stories
of Impact

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Largest Living Lab Student Cohort to Date Presents Accomplishments at Annual Symposium

Culture Change, Emissions, Living Lab, Residential

From stakeholders’ willingness for trade-offs to a green game plan, the student interns and fellows presented on their operational accomplishments from the year.

#ShopCampusFirst

Purchasing, Zero Waste

“Swap shelves” make reusing items easy and convenient–saving money & supporting Stanford’s waste reduction goal.

Three people standing with hard hats and yellow vests on from of tree with smoke in the background.

Stanford Wins 2026 National Wildfire Mitigation Award

Community Engagement, Emergency Management, Land Use

Stanford’s wildfire resilience program is recognized as one of the most impactful wildfire preparedness initiatives in the country.

Four people with yellow vests posing with a background of a large crowd in an outdoor stadium with a stage and large screens showing the performers.

An “Army” for Zero Waste: 71% Diverted at Stanford Stadium

Culture Change, Zero Waste

An “army” of over 100 student and staff volunteers helped sort the BTS concert waste to reduce the amount sent to landfill.

Living Lab
Projects

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Optimizing Student Reuse

Community Engagement, Culture Change, Living Lab, Zero Waste

Kai Blakenship ’26 increased event frequency and outreach, as well as institutionalized and expanded admin and student partnerships.

Sustainable Research Computing

Academics, Carbon, Community Engagement, Construction & Demolition, Efficiency, Emissions, Maintenance

Danica Sun ’28 explored smarter resource use for one of Stanford’s major computing clusters.

Decarbonizing Process Steam

Carbon, Efficiency, Emissions

Rachel Porter, PhD candidate, investigated alternatives for reducing reliance on Stanford’s natural gas-fired steam plant.

Systems that Work Together

Water

Supplying water to the campus, preserving existing supplies, and implementing alternatives with appropriate quality for use

Food

Designing a sustainable culinary culture through procurement standards, menu design, and food recovery

Transportation

Motivating sustainable commutes, alleviating congestion, and reducing vehicle and business travel emissions

Energy

Powering campus with a cost-efficient thermal system that reduces direct greenhouse gas emissions by 80%

Waste

Reducing impacts through waste reduction, standardized collection, effective contract management, and outreach and education

Land & Buildings

Stewarding Stanford lands, including biological and cultural resources, and ensuring sensible, thoughtful growth

Campus as a Living Lab for Sustainability

Research, lead, and shape sustainability by using all the resources campus has to offer

Engage with Stanford’s Living Lab

Protecting Our Power Supply

The Stanford campus community outsmarts hitting peak power by reducing electricity on weekdays from 12 to 8 p.m.

Learn about Power Smart